Codex Apocrypha (5e Sourcebook)

Work In Progress

DND has always had a lack of celestials, and those that are available are often rarely useful to the DM without forcing them in because most of time players won’t do anything to gain a celestials ire. This page seeks to add more useful and diverse celestial types including ones from previous editions that weren’t moved to 5e as well as entirely original ones based on religion and mythology alike.

This page also expands upon the Upper Planes, making them more unique and dangerous by adding new creatures and flavor that the planes didn’t have previously in order to make them more useful for DMs in constructing campaigns with them.

This is a WIP, statblocks will be provided soon.

Adityas

Adityas are the chaotic counterpart to the daevas. They are the messengers of the chaotic good gods. Their form is that of an upright avian creature with feathers and huge wings composed of bright orange flame. They come in different shapes and sizes, different shades and colors of flame, different beak shapes and lengths, etc. They will adorn themselves in golden jewelry with the symbols of the god they serve. Adityas do not have names, instead having a particular series of notes they sing to announce their presence and identify themselves when in their true form.

Adityas are not warriors, but messengers. As a result they take a more tricky approach to combat. They have wide variety of spells, as well as a natural ability to turn invisible for a short period of time. They use these abilities to confuse and deceive those they engage in combat with as soar through the air, requiring those who wish to fight them to think outside the box. When they die their body is consumed by the fire, it begins to increase in heat and grow brighter until exploding in a violent fiery blast.

Adityas are much more independent compared to Devas, being created with their own personalities and goals opposed to being robotic servants of good like other angels are. They usually come to other planes for their own purposes, sometimes to do good like prevent disasters or watch over and protect mortals, most times however it’s just out of curiosity or to interact with mortals. They are known to use shape change, similarly to Devas, but they prefer to take the form of animals over humanoids.

Because of their independent nature, they fall more often than other angels. Most fallen Adityas were not banished by their god but decided to fall of their own volition to live among mortals or perform some kind of duty they couldn’t under their god like teaching forbidden knowledge or to perform miracles for mortals. A fallen Aditya’s flames turning a bright blue shade, they tend to live as solitary hermits, living amongst the mortals. When a Adityas becomes fallen, they lose their immortality. They will live for another two to three hundred years before their flame goes out, for this reason some Adityas choose to fall simply to end their immortal lives.

Asuras

Asuras are beings born of chaos. They resemble humans but with six to eight arms and colorful skin ranging from bright red to pale blue. They have chaotic and varying appearances, the more humanoid asuras often have long beards and tusks or horns, their hideous faces marked by beady eyes and wide toothy smiles. Whilst other asuras have more animalistic facial features like a long snout.

Despite their brutish nature as marauders of chaos, they are still considered celestials as they were created by war gods to be their soldiers. Asuras are prideful and selfish, wearing the spoils of war on their person rather than in a grand treasure horde.

Asura society is chaotic, a constant struggle for power between every single member with constantly shifting alligences waging every day. In order to counteract this Gargaros created 24 Warbands each lead by a powerful warrior king called an Asuendra. These warbands will often go to war with each other as well raid the other planes. Their Asuendra leaders have the ability to create portals to other planes, which they use to raid the material plane.

They have a rivalry with the Slaadi, hunting them and their eggs as their main source of food. They raise them as cattle using their control gems, often bringing them along on raids.

Fighting an asura warband is not to dissimilar to fighting orcs, they are tough and powerful yet not very smart. However what separates asuras from orcs is their dexterity, their many arms allow them to use multiple weapons at once. Their bodies are often covered in stolen weapons, allowing them to have a diverse arsenal of weaponry. A skilled Asura warrior can switch from using a bow to hefting a great axe in seconds.

There are many specialized Asuras who have different types of combat. There are scarred asuras, who in a religious ceremony removed all their arms and both their eyes, this ritual caused them to gain psychic powers which they use to telekinetically wield a wide variety of weapons and a massive bulging third eye in their forehead. The Asura Shepard has several Slaadi control gems around his neck, commanding several Slaadi into battle at once.

Malebranche

Demons, Devils, and Fiends make unreliable servants. The Malebranche are the angels of evil gods, serving them unquestionably and fulfilling their duties with mechanical precision.

Eudaemon

An Eudaemon is the result of an inherently evil creature like a demon, devil, or fiend somehow repenting for its evil and ascending to a higher plane. These creatures are quite rare, as an inherently evil creature embracing the ideals of good is very unlikely.

They take the same form they did as a demon, but are known for their calm demeanors and preference for wearing simple robes. They often take the form of hermits, living out lives of virtue on the material plane.

They can vary wildly depending on the creature they came from, but generally have the same abilities and stats as their demonic version. They will refrain from using their darker abilities typically.

Chalkydri

Chalkydri are angelic beasts with the head and tail of a dragon, but with the body of a lion that’s adorned with six sets of wings. Their draconic parts are covered in bronze scales, and they have a breath weapon that shoots a healing mist.

They are created when a follower of Bahamut or metallic dragon kills a chromatic dragon. The slain dragons soul is claimed by Bahamut, and is forced to be reborn as Chalkydri in order to repent for the crimes it committed as a dragon.

Chalkydri are given tasks by Bahamut himself, often simple acts of good will like healing the sick or defending the innocent from danger. They are also sometimes given more important tasks like protecting holy sites or assisting adventurers in slaying evil, some even being assigned as guardian angels for paladins or clerics. If they are to disobey these tasks or commit an act of evil like stealing or deception, they are erased from existence by Bahamut.

Chalkydri still have the evil spirit of a chromatic dragon, kept in line only by the threat of annihilation. However the loose conditions of their curse create lots of loopholes, as long as they don’t commit evil acts and work to complete their tasks they can do anything they want.

Chalkydri make the most of their situation, and revel in the praise and reverence given by the people of the material plane. They often build small hordes out of donations or trinkets they loot from creatures they have slain. They often acquire many patrons, finding enjoyment in having minions to command. The life of a Chalkydri is a shallow imitation of their past life, and they would do anything possible to escape it alive.

Luminaries

Unlike other celestials, Luminaries do not serve any god. They are primordial emanations of Ao, the creator god. Luminaries are unknowable creatures with bizarre forms, and they mostly lie in the far realm where they destroy anything from the planes that tries to enter them. However, Luminaries often influence the material plane and sometimes even manifest themselves into a physical form. Luminaries seldom if ever interact with eachother, keeping to their own devices.

There are four types of luminaries, each differing vastly in their actions and the appearance of their physical form. Luminaries only appear in the inner planes such as the Shadowfell, Feywild, or Material Plane.

Harmozel

Harmozel are the crown of Ao, the emanations of destiny. They are primordial weavers of fate who appear to mortals and guide their actions. Harmozel appear before mortals in their dreams, sometimes to deliver a prophecy, other times to open a pact with them. It is rumored among scholarly circles that they do this in order to guide the actions of mortals, taking control of their fate.

They take the form of a giant flame surrounded by four golden spinning rings covered in eyes, with four arrows pointing in the cardinal directions hovering around them. They rarely manifest into a physical form, but it has happened. When one manifests into the material plane it becomes hellbent on destroying a particular target, why they seek to kill is not always known. Sometimes they go after powerful sources of wild magic, other times it’s entire cities that are known for being particular shady. Other times Harmozel have manifested to test the skills of people who would go on to incredible things.

To destroy a Harmozel’s physical form is to fight your destiny itself, it is no easy task. They hover far above the ground but are quite slow in their movement. They summon planetars to fight for them, using their overwhelming power to rip them from the upper planes and control their minds, overriding the authority of their gods. They can also telepathically whisper to creatures in an attempt the charm them. On top of all this they have the ability to slam itself into the earth, creating a similar but permanent effect to the earthquake spell.

Oroiael

Oroiael are the eyes of Ao, the emanations of doom. They soar through the sky like comets in search of disaster, only resting at the peaks of the tallest mountains as they watch the disaster unfold. They take the form of a spinning ring of bright blue wings, with a golden icon of an eye at its center emitting a bright light. Seeing an Oroiael is an omen of destruction on an epic scale. The Oroiael do not cause the suffering, they are only there to oversee the event and warn people of its coming. Oroiael in their physical form are present only in the material plane, why this is the case is unknown.

However as the eyes of Ao, it is rumored they watch over people who will go on to legendary acts of good. Some have said that their observance is not just an omen, but a challenge, and that if someone had the bravery to reach them they will stop the disaster from occurring. Maybe these whispers are true and Oroiael can be a mighty ally, or perhaps any brave souls who attempt to reach the Oroiael will be met with hostile aggression.

They have several abilities such as spellcasting powerful spells such as power word kill. It can fire a beam of light from its eyes and can petrify weak willed creatures with a single look.

Daveithe

Daveithe are the heart of Ao, the emanations of primal emotion. Unlike the other luminaries they are very emotional, so much so that it affects the world around them. If they are happy, the world around them will grow lush with flora and nearby creatures will feel blissful joy. If they are sad, the flora around will die and the creatures nearby will be launched into horrible despair.

They take the form of a white floating specter resembling a human with a featureless face. Inside their transparent form is a large beating heart. They are the smallest of the luminaries, only being as tall as 5ft. They often arrive in the form of a massive comet, which land and create a small crater where the Daveithe environmental effects begin to occur almost instantly. They live in far off grottos hidden away from the rest of the world, forming lush jungles in the underdark and barren wastelands in feywild. The environments they create are permanent until they are killed, meaning if they were to move they could spread their environment further.

There are four types of Daveithe. Blissful, Despairing, Furious, and Fearful.

Blissful Daveithe are in a state of constant bliss, creating a beautiful forest around them where they live idyllic lives ignorant of all suffering. Their domains are inhabited by feywild creatures. Any creatures in their grotto are charmed unless they pass a wisdom saving throw, and they are almost always friendly, only having awakened plants fight for them if absolutely necessary. Some people make pacts with these kinds of Daveithe, and their patrons will often ask for little more than to spread cheer across the land.

Despairing Daveithe are in a state of constant soulcrushing sadness. The environment they create is a barren wasteland with rocky and turbulent terrain, full of creatures from the underdark. Their inner sanctum where they reside is an icy tundra, with a giant ball of ice in the middle containing the Daveithe itself. They have powerful spells and abilities they use instead of attacking directly, once the ball of ice is destroyed it’s quite easy to defeat them.

Furious Daveithe are in a state of constant fury and rage. The environment they create is a firey hellscape filled with Asuras, Demons, and other infernal creatures. Their domain casts an aura of anger, that causes those with weak wills to take psychic damage. They have a more imposing figure, as well as sharp claws and horns. They have powerful spells and can rage like a barbarian, lunging forth and ripping its targets to shreds. They are the most destructive of the Daveithe, as they move across the landscape, causing destruction and chaos in their wake.

Fearful Daveithe are in a state of constant fear and paranoia. The environment they create is a twisted dungeon, filled with traps and horrific beasts. The terrain is chaotic and shifts to reflect the fears of the inhabitants inside. Their domain has an aura of fear that frightens those who fail their wisdom saving throw. Because of the dread of the Fearful Daveithe is constantly frightened and incapable of partaking in combat, dying in a single hit to anything. However they are locked inside small well defended chambers with a small antimagic barrier, alongside this is a powerful creature that guards the chamber. This guarding can be almost anything, and once it is killed the vault will open and reveal the Daveithe.

Eleleth

Eleleth are the soul of Ao, the emanations of determination. They appear when someone becomes so obsessed with a particular goal or desire that it takes over their body and mind. The Eleleth in their far realm form are weak and cannot manifest by themselves, so they anchor themselves onto the intense determination of their hosts. The host of an Eleleth possession will become increasingly consumed by their goal that it starts to affect them physically. Eventually they become the physical incarnation of their goal, overriding the person that existed before. Once this process starts it can only be undone by letting go of their obsession, as cures like wish or greater restoration are only temporary unless the make the host let go of their obsession. Their forms can vary wildly depending on the host and their goal, but there are 4 common types.

Eleleth Weavers are those who desired wealth, power, and status and would do anything to get it. They hulking figures typically marked with horns that grow out from their heads. They rely less on brute force, and on coercion and deception. They have access to several powerful illusion and enchantment spells, weaving deep and intricate webs of intrigue. They prefer to stay in the shadows, watching and plotting and using their minions to grow their insatiable desire for power.

Eleleth Martyrs are the result of someone’s undying commitment to a cause or person consuming their lives. They take an angelic form with bodies made of light, and depending on their cause they may bear the symbols of that cause. They become extensions of their cause, assisting anyone who can further it and destroying anything that opposes it. They are some of the most dangerous Eleleth, and many will intentionally seek to become or turn another person a Martyred Host to achieve their goals.

Eleleth Stalkers are those who let their desire for revenge consume them. They are covered in flames and their skin is charred and ashen. They will relentlessly persue revenge against their target, destroying anything in their way. Once they destroy their target, they will seek out anything even tangentially related to the target of their vengeance till any trace of its existence is removed. Once it runs out of things to direct its rage to, it will immediately die and turn into a pile of ash.

Eleleth Virtuosos are mages, scientists, and inventors who dedicated their lives to study, isolating themselves until they were consumed by whatever they studied. They generally take the form of thin, lanky, tall humanoids with pale skin and very long white hair. Their limbs are inhumanly long, and their eyes are empty and white. They have a wide variety of spells, and often surround themselves with constructs and magical familiars. They can vary greatly depending on what they studied, an artificer virtuoso might have his body be filled with artificial limbs and organs, and surrounds himself with mechanical servants in his clockwork tower. A bard virtuoso might surround themselves with art, even modifying themselves into horrific forms as a form of art.

Archons

The inhabitants of Mount Celestia, lawful good souls who spend their afterlife trying to rise to the top of the ranks. They keep their personalities that they had in life, including all their flaws. Unlike the other celestials they often stick their own plane unless otherwise commanded by their gods, living in bustling cities and developing lives of their own, constantly working towards ascending up the hierarchy.

They live in a strict hierarchy constructed by the gods in order to put them on a path to perfection, rising through the ranks as they improve and learn about themselves. Archons are constantly pushed to give everything to this process, fulfilling their assigned duty for all of eternity seeking an elusive state of perfection.

Mount Celestia is tough and unforgiving, and an eternity of this is sometimes too much for some Archons, causing them to grow tired and jealous until they fall so far from grace that they become fallen. You cannot go down the hierarchy as an Archon, you are simply banished. These fallen archons often wander the planes seeking purpose, sometimes settling down on earth and fathering Aasimar.

Lantern Archon

The lowest form of Archon, they are floating balls of light that wander Lunia the base of Mount Celestia. They have very few physical capabilities and often ascend to Hound or Trumpet archons fairly easily. They have easier lives compared to the other archons and are often treated like children by them as they are prepared for life on the mountain. Sometimes the path of Mount Celestia is too demanding for them, and they simply fade away or give themselves up as heroic sacrifices against invaders.

When the Mountain is under attack, Lantern Archons are usually kept away unless absolutely necessary. The fight in swarms, overwhelming their opponents with their massive numbers. Lantern archons have the ability to teleport wherever they please without failure and can detect and protect themselves from evil at will. They fight using a beam of light, which they can fire at will.

Because of the easier lives and mortality they live they do not often fall, but when they do their weak physical form forces them to congregate into giant black orbs called Dark Swarms in order to survive. These swarms are found in the Shadowfell where they work as mercenaries for the Drow.

Hound Archon

The first real Archon, muscular dog-headed soldiers and guardians of the mountain. They reside on Mercuria and Lunia were they protect lantern archons and visitors alike. They are also made to do grunt work for higher tiers of Archon, including the physical labor needed to keep the mountains cities running. Hound archons as protectors of the lantern archons are assigned a legion of 100 lanterns. Hound archons can summon these at will in order to protect themselves.

As hound archons progress closer to promotion, their collar changes to reflect this. It starts out as copper, becoming more valuable metals until it becomes platinum right before promotion. Hound archons who are halfway to promotion can specialize into three roles, the hound shepherd, the Hound justicar, and the hound seer.

Hound shepherds are guardians of multiple legions of lantern archons, sometimes reaching the thousands, they also act as apprentices to Warden Archons and will eventually promote into them. They are often in charge of guiding visitors through the mountain.

Hound justicars are apprentices to justice archons and seek to promote into them. As apprentices of justice archons they are composed of the most dedicated and extreme of the hound archons, serving just as valiantly using their paladin like abilities. They are the first responders to most minor threats or problemson the mountain before Sword Archons decide to get involved.

Hound seers are the apprentices of Word archons, dedicating themselves to a holy concept which they may have highly regarded in life. Hound seers act as the bodyguards of word archons and have some similar abilities although weaker.

Hound archons often become fallen after centuries of failing to ascend the hierarchy, becoming cold and apathetic before snapping and being exiled. These fallen hound archons are the most common, and many Aasimar can trace their parentage to them. They wander the planes looking for work, serving good and evil alike.

Warden Archon

The ogre sized bureaucrats of the mountain, they take the shape of humanoid bears and are tasked with guarding the gates between each layer of the mountain as well as keeping records of both the mountain and material plane. They live in the cities of Mercuria and can often be found in the many great mausoleums where they keep their records.

They command legions of hound archons when the mountain is under attack, as well mentoring hound shepherds to become warden archons. When defending the gates between the layers of the mountain they will often have several hound shepherds as bodyguards.

Warden archons have a wide array of mystical abilities. Warden archons and anyone close to them are magically protected from evil. They are resistent to many spells, immune to lightning damage and petrification, and can’t be hurt by non magical weapons. They are proficient in divination magic, which they use to fulfill their duties as well as prevent situations before they happen.

They are known to fall more often than other archons, as they still have a connection to the material plane and are exposed to evils and desire much more often. Fallen Warden Archons often fall into the service of devils and summoners as their personal secretaries and record keepers.

Justice Archon

Justice Archons are an alternate path for hound archons, and are considered equals to warden archons as a result. They are vengeful warriors of Justice who are devoted to upholding it over all else. They take the form of winged angelic humanoids made of golden light, typically adorned in full plate carrying a greatsword, glaive, or greataxe. They act as enforcers and servants of the gods of Justice who dwell in Celestia, acting out their orders both on the mountain and in the physical plane.

They are creatures of fairness, and this can work against them. They can have violent outbursts when prevented from stopping something they see as unfair, and are much more aggressive and independent than other archons. They fall quite often because of this, as they sometimes are coerced into working against the mountain or become stuck as Justice archons for so long they believe the mountain itself is unfair and seek to correct it.

Word Archon

Word Archons are the celestial guardians of pure concepts like love, virtue, and goodness. They are similar to Justice archons, in that they are an alternate path for hound archons are considered equal to both Justice and Warden archons as a result. They use the magic of true names, speaking Truespeech and using it to cast powerful spells.

Their role as guardians of concepts often takes the form of them being teachers and preachers, guiding lesser archons towards the path of progression and virtue.

They do not fall often, but sometimes they can dedicate themselves so much to a certain concept they guard, it takes over them and they get possessed by a Eleleth.

Sword Archon

The enforcers of the mountain, they police the many layers of the mountain ensuring that it’s strict laws are upheld by inhabitants and visitors alike. They lead the wardens and hounds, acting as commanders during times of crisis.

They are known to possess four wings and arms made of glowing swords. They take construct-like forms, appearing like a humanoid suit of full-plate armor, with the entire body fully covered. The material of the metal depends on how close the archon is to promotion.

Sword Archons do not fall often, but their position is a common one to get stuck at, as improving yourself past this point is a monumental task. As the aeons go by, this can sometimes get to them. Sword archons enjoy combat more than most archons, but they don’t let it get in the way of their goal of progression. But sometimes they can become stuck when they prioritize the glory of combat over spiritual progression, causing them to get stuck and eventually snap and become fallen archons.

Throne Archon

Throne archons rule over the cities of the mountain. Overseeing their operations and acting as generals during invasions. They are the second highest rank next to Tome archons. They take abstract forms, golden polygonal shapes in the vague form of a faceless androgynous humanoid.

They are highly strict rulers and act as judges, responsible for exiling archons and putting visitors who were suspected of committing crime on trial. The mountains courtrooms are cutthroat and rarely fair towards the defendants, in their courts every suspected criminal is guilty until proven innocent.

Throne Archons are have progressed so close to moral and spiritual perfection they are nearly incorruptible, to the point where they lose connection to their humanity and become virtuous to a fault. They lack any vices, making them inhuman and robotic in nature and demeanor. They will always exact perfect Justice, but they will attempt to do so to the best of their ability.

Tome Archon

Tome Archons are the highest rank on mount Celestia. There are only seven of them at a time, each ruling over a layer. Together they form the ruling council called the Celestial Hebmodad. They are spiritually and morally perfect, made in the image of the gods of virtue. Promotion into a Tome Archon only happens when a previous Tome Archon dies.

There are 7 current Tome Archons. Barachiel the Messenger, Domiel the Mercy-bringer, Erathaol the Seer, Pistis Sophia the Ascetic, Raziel the Crusader, Sealtiel the Defender, and Zaphkiel the watcher. They all vary wildly in appearance, but all have distorted inhuman forms and are typically very large in size. Each are described individually in the Mount Celestia segment.

The Upper Planes

The Upper Planes in their current state feel like they lack a lot of flavor or uniqueness. There is very little reason why you would want to visit any of these planes, the creatures are all the same and will only threaten you if you’re evil. This section adds more flavor and potential danger to the upper planes, giving you a reason to visit them making them their own unique settings.

Plane Ecology

In order to make the upper planes feel more unique there have been some changes to how celestials inhabit the upper planes, normally every single type of celestial inhabits ALL of the upper planes. In order to make the planes more unique, certain types of celestials will only spawn in planes where they make sense to be. For example, the lawful daeva will be in the lawful good planes while the chaotic asuras will be in the chaotic good planes.

Ysguard

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